Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for reconstructing a medical image for keeping a program for implementing the method. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for reconstructing a medical image that obtains a 2D medical image (for example, a Cephalo image) from a 3D image (for example, CT (Computed Tomography) image), for keeping a program for implementing the method.
CT images will be exemplified as 3D medical images and Cephalo images will be exemplified as 2D medical images in the following embodiments of the present invention, but is should be noted that the present invention is not limited thereto.
Description of the Related Art
In general, 3D medical images obtained, for example, using CT and ultrasonic tests have the advantage of making it possible to clearly assess the entire object at a glance. However, it may be effective to use a 2D medical image rather than a 3D medical image in order to make a closer observation of internal cross-sections of an object. Accordingly, if a 3D medical image and a 2D medical image are simultaneously displayed, a user can closely observe the entire object.
A way of simultaneously displaying a 3D medical image and a 2D medical image has been disclosed in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2013-0138612 (published on 19 Dec. 2013), which is as follows.
The apparatus for displaying a 3D medical image and a 2D medical image in the document includes a 3D image obtaining unit that obtains 3D medical images of an object, a cross-section selecting unit that selects at least one cross-section of the object on the basis of input from the outside about the obtained 3D medical images, a 2D image obtaining unit that obtains a 2D medical image corresponding to the selected at least one cross-section by scanning the object, and a display unit that displays 2D medical images and 3D medical images.
The cross-section selecting unit includes a window creator that creates at least one window to be positioned on an obtained 3D medical image, a window controller that moves the created at least one window on the 3D medical image, and an additional cross-section selector that additionally selects at least one cross-section adjacent to the selected at least one cross-section.
The 2D image obtaining unit includes a first image obtaining unit that obtains at least one first 2D medical image by scanning an object to correspond to a selected at least one cross-section, a second image obtaining unit that obtains at least one second 2D medical image by scanning an object to correspond to at least one cross-section adjacent to a cross-section, and a combined image obtaining unit that obtains at least one combined 2D medical image by combining at least one first 2D medical image with at least one second 2D medical image.
However, the apparatus can obtain at least one combined 2D medical image by combining a first 2D medical image of at least any one cross-section and a second 2D medical image of at least one cross-section adjacent to the cross-section, but cannot obtain a 2D overlapping medical image by selecting not cross-sections, but an entire area or a predetermined area and then overlapping medical images in the selected area (range).
This is because, the degrees of enlargement of 2D medical images of different cross-sections spaced at a predetermined distance or more from each other are different due to the characteristic of ultrasonic beams or an X-ray beams that are radiated in all direction, so when a 2D overlap medical image is obtained by obtaining medical image in a selected area (range) in the way of simply combining images, as in the apparatus, an inaccurate 2D overlap medical image is obtained.